The Saipan operation involved the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions. An Army division, the 27th, was held in reserve and eventually fed into the fracas.
I believe the 27th Division came in on day three or so. They were in some of the bloodiest fighting of the campaign, in places nick-named Death Valley and Purple Heart Ridge. They fought in the tough center of the island with the Marine divisions on either flank. They were also in the front line of the horrible Banzai charge of July 7, 1944. Time and Life were embedded with the Marines, which accounts for these being I think 100% Marine pics.
Yes. My father was in the 4th Marine Division. He went from Siapan to Tinian then Iwo Jima. He said the "meat grinder" on Iwo was total hell. He never said much until his later years. The stories was chilling.
He was underage when he entered. His parents had to give permission for him to join the Marines.
To think what these men went through to defeat evil and now to see what leads us. Words cannot express how I feel.